Serpent
by ThanatosUpbringing
Summary: Orochimaru takes Naruto as a disciple. Why? What for? Also discontinued.
1. Startings

This story is intended to be another experiment. 

Characters will be greatly OOC, you have been warned.

The wind blows softly, like a whisper, and it speaks words unknown when it passes through the untouched and aged stone pillars. The mist hangs over the ruins, unmoving, as if it was decreed to protect the ruin's secrets safe from the minds of men. Rubbles of stone and dirt all over the place emanates a soft smell, the smell of disuse. Alone surrounded by towering trees on one side, and misty waters on the other, the ruin seemed untouched since it's downfall, still regal and unwavering despite it's disrepair.

His footsteps leaves a soft mark on the muddy earth, and each step repeats the process. His cerulean eyes moved about with a child's curiosity and energy. He turned his head around and asked, "What are we doing here, sensei?"

"This is the tomb of an old ruler of the Fire country." Naruto greeted his master's answer with confusion, and he just walked towards the tombs to touch and feel the stone, like a child of his age would. His master too approached the buildings, but his eyes observed the buildings for fine details. As a scholar, it was his own self-imposed obligation to study and understand things of the past, and this was a way to do so.

Naruto soon followed his master into the tomb, through a door covered in strange symbols and signs. "These signs were used to ward of thieves and raiders, but their ability to ward is based on faith and conviction alone." Naruto only smiled and pointed at a sign. "Sensei, this one looks like a eight-headed snake."

Naruto's master soon smiled slightly, perhaps in awe of his innocence, or perhaps for his childish actions. "All the symbols are extracted from folklore and legends in order to reinforce the fears and respect of the people. All in order to raise the fallen king's position as an avatar of god, to fortify his post as the leader of a blinded people." His words were cold, and Naruto recalled a moment when his master once said, "No matter how foolish the people of the past were, it is still our obligation to understand them, so it will not repeat itself." Naruto remembers such phrases, but he does not attempt to understand it's meaning. To him, it is the simple things in life that matters, although he himself doesn't know it.

"Sensei, where are we going? It's dark and scary..." He spoke with some amount of fear, and he sought the protective aura that his master offered. To him, it is his sensei that treated him like a person, not a monster. Perhaps that is because his sensei himself, is also a monster.

"Naruto. Sometimes the greatest light, is in the darkest and most frightening of places. To seek power, it is necessary to brave the thickest darkness and the brightest of lights." He then placed his hand on Naruto's shoulders, and walked together with him. He lit a small fire on a candle, and it became their guide in the midst of darkness. Naruto shook slightly in fear of the gloom and doom that seems to spew out of the walls, but he followed him nontheless.

The tunnel was decorated in all sorts of chants and runes, all kinds of words and phrases. To Naruto, it was nothing more than strange looking words and pictures, things beyond his current understanding. Yet, his master still brought him to such places, for a reason he has yet to know.

"Sensei... Where are we going?" Naruto asked, his heart pounded in fear. The fear came from history, it came from the design of the tunnels that provoke and awaken fear. Even so, his master seemed unfazed.

"Beneath all the rocks and tunnels, is the body of a dead king."

"So.. we are going to see a dead body?"

"...Yes."

"...Ok."

"Why? You expected something more flamboyant and stylish? Not everything is so... well-crafted in this world."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sensei."

* * *

WTF? Naruto and orochimaru together, master and apprentice. I hope it hasn't be done before by any other writer...  



	2. Creatures

Serpent

Surely many would wonder why an accomplished ninja would take the role of a guardian of a child, what more a bloodthirsty ninja such as Orochimaru. Many, would find it ultimately baffling that the child who holds within him a demon is worth the time, and the attention of the snake lord. Ultimately, in a time where betrayal is perhaps the most rampant and murder is most common, why would one who loves to dabble in both discard it for a person hated by many.

Yet, for one as mighty as him, there are things that still doesn't change. He still feels compassion, a sort of dismay and sorrow for the young blonde, who seems to draw hatred wherever he steps. Albeit such compassion is slight and almost unexisting in a legendary figure, Orochimaru's own past experience of and with unshown hatred amplified and reawakened his forgotten emotions. The past, in this case, has influenced, and provoked Orochimaru to take the child into his care. If there is something he could change, it would be the fate of a person who, in many ways are similar to himself. A demon, a person who still wants care despite not showing it. In a way, that was not the sole reason. Orochimaru has always wanted a way to execute his revenge against Konoha, and what better way to do so, by protecting the thing they hated. Inside, a part of him wanted himself to be expelled and kicked out of Konoha, so he may continue his own plans without being labelled a missing-nin.

He knew all to well the capabilities of the Anbu corps, and until his own research can be completed, he would not want a direct confrontation. He too knew that the third Hokage would not approve of any missions against Naruto, and indirectly, him. Naruto would be his shield, his... distraction.

Well, that was the plan anyway.

"Orochimaru-sensei!" The blonde called out, immediately shattering the snake-eyed ninja's contemplation of the future. The young child, barely 7 still wanders around him like the child he still is, unknowning of who he is, and fearless. A part of him feels somewhat disgusted, and yet, since taking full custody of the child, he had slowly grown used to his presence. Maybe it's because he is a child, in which a person's natural instincts to protect the young is awakened.

"Sensei, where we going today?" He said, his grammar bare and speech rudimentary,

"Konoha."

Naruto immediately looked slightly disappointed, perhaps even dismay, but emotions are hard to read when there are all jumbled together.

Orochimaru stood up from his resting spot under the tree, and motioned him closer, which the blonde complied dutifully. He tapped Naruto's shoulder, and tried to make a small smile to signify everything is going to be alright. Unfortunately, children are often very proficient in reading and sensing emotions, and he knew Naruto knew his smile was forced. Yet, Naruto did not show any sadness, or disappointment, as he too knew that his master did not hate hin.

Even for a child, he knew his mentor and caretaker was not a person of giving smiles.

IIIIII

I hope I haven't lost touch after such a long hiatus. I'll probably start writing longer chapters once I gain sufficient momentum and drive. 


	3. C3

Arriving in Konoha is as usual, a boring and uneventful affair. All the life and daily operations invite a doze of boredom after a while, and what more for these people. Boredom, is still apparent despite it is the center of operations of in a way, a legalized cartel of espionage, assassinations and terrorism. All the people walking and talking about incessant nothings merely serve to amplify the lethargic mood that seemed to forever hang over the city. After all, it is a land that news of death and doom arrives every day, and the joy of talking to each other serve as a bitter antidote of death.

At least, that was how Orochimaru remembered how Konoha was during the warring times.

Now, he couldn't tell how much things have changed since those times, but there were changes, and to him, he found some highly intriguing. What most intriguing, however, is how a young 7 year old has to become the object of hatred, perhaps to them, even hatred itself. Although no doubt if the object was Kyubi, such judgment would be justified, however, the child is merely a cage. Shouldn't the wardens repair and strengthen the cage, not destroy it? If hatred is a way of strengthening the cage, why is Naruto only showing signs of growing weakness? Although he himself is well aware of the power of fear and hatred, he knew that not everyone grows the same way, and as of now, Naruto did not seem to respond positively to hatred.

Naruto seemed to hide whenever there was someone around, someone merely walking past. Orochimaru knew he wanted to hide himself, and even so it had spawned or at least awakened a slight talent in stealth. Perhaps his justification that their hatred isn't making Naruto stronger is false. The hatred indirectly made him strong. Then again, only from obstacles such as hatred that one can emerge stronger. As of now, if he himself intends to remain hidden, Naruto would have to be too.

Most other children began their training at a very young age, perhaps 5 or 6. Naruto would begin now, at 7. He has a lot of catching up to do.

Then again, they don't have Orochimaru as a tutor. A smirk, a slightly sinister and prideful smirk grew on his face. Naruto was his shield from the prying eyes of the Anbu, and when a person buys a shield, he surely would want one of strength, durability and quality, wouldn't he? If he trains and tutors Naruto, he knew he could open himself to more oppurtunities to obtain the faith of the other ninjas, thus allowing more room for himself to do as he please.

Again, another smirk, but it wasn't shown. He smiled and laughed inside at his own brilliance, and looked at Naruto brimming with anticipation, which the blonde did not notice, as he was trying to hide from the other villagers.

Right now, he needed to find the correct way to teach the young child. He needed him to show at least some amount of skill so he may take him out of the country where he could continue his forbidden research, which he has kept unknown to anyone for years. Hopefully, in countries far away, the Anbu would not be on his tail.

He knew how cautious the Hokage was, because after all, he was his teacher, and for years, he knew the Hokage read him like a book, even though he tried to hide it.

Naruto pulled Orochimaru's arm slightly, and when he looked at him, Naruto pointed towards a ramen bar. 'When was the last time I ate at a bar...' He thought inside.

"Can we eat there, sensei?" He quickly made a sad face.

Orochimaru's snake eyes stared into Naruto's blue eyes, trying to make out his true intentions. Yet Naruto's eye were unwavering, and Orochimaru relented. "Ah, let's go." Naruto smiled, and it was genuine. A part of Orochimaru was disgusted. another was... unexplainably, like it. Then again, when was the last time he received such a smile.

Both of them took a seat, and Naruto ordered what he wanted. Orochimaru on the other hand merely looked around and stared at the menu, and then glanced at Naruto who ate his ramen slowly. "Sensei, aren't you eating?" He asked, and perhaps he was uncomfortable that he was the only one eating, and thus explained his slow consumption.

"Oh... I'll have beef ramen." He said at the attendant, and he looked at Naruto. "I will. You eat first, since I'm not particularly hungry." Conversations with a child, he seemed to find is an art of it's own. It required him to be friendly, and genuinely friendly. These children seemed to have a natural knack of telling out emotions, and such abilities seemed to vanish as they grow up. His beef ramen arrived, and he slowly ate it.

"Naruto, do you want to be a ninja?" He knew that Naruto can never escape that question, and why not ask him now.

He gulped, and he stared at his food. "I dunno... Should I be, sensei?" His voice seemed to beg for guidance from the snake, and he looked uncertain. A child of seven don't really have that ability to make decisions yet, what more one that is untrained and unexperienced. Orochimaru's silence prompted him to continue, "I don't want to do it if my teacher hates me."

Emotions, child like them seemed to take a lot of heed and is greatly influenced by it. He smiled, somewhat. "What if I was your teacher?"

The slight frown turned to a smile. "Yes. I'll be a ninja if you'd teach me."

Orochimaru knew about pawns in games of chess, both japanese and chinese chess. Loyalty is a powerful tool, and powerful weapon. Yet, emotional bonds are also a powerful weapon, and he has seen it work in many cases. If Naruto has such a bond with him, he knew he could make him do anything.

Orochimaru's dry, pale hands tapped Naruto's shoulder. "Well, we start tomorrow, my new apprentice."

IOIOIOIIOIOIOOIIOIOI

So, how was it? It's longer than my previous chapter, and prolly will get longer as i proceed. 


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